First Arab Bloggers Meeting 2008 - Democracy

First Arab Bloggers Meeting 2008

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Middle East (Beirut) and Arab Middle East (Ramallah) organized a meeting for Arab bloggers at Ziko House in Beirut on 22 August 2008. The meeting gathered 29 bloggers from 10 Arab countries (Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Palestine, Iraq and Syria) who spoke of their blogging experiences and the obstacles they face in areas living under authoritarian regimes that undermine liberty of expression.

During the three days, famous Arab bloggers and digital activists met for the first time in a free and supportive atmosphere, not only to exchange experiences in general but also to debate on the necessary instruments to advance their causes. By presenting country examples followed by discussion on the situation in the bloggers’ societies and their weaknesses and strengths, the participants could tackled the means and tools available for creative use of the internet in the Arab region to improve their blogging performance and gain readers’ confidence.

In the end, bloggers discussed the legal frameworks that safeguard their right and ensure their protection and safety. One outcome of the meeting was an increase of interaction between bloggers not only on their causes and campaigns but also on training material and legal framework materials. For more information please contact odeussen@boell-ameo.org

Together with the five partners Right to Play (RTP), War Child Holland (WCH) , Sawa, ACAD and ArtLab, the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Ramallah & Jordan has launched the EU-funded project on September 1st 2014

Green Economy is a source of both hope and controversy. For some, it points the way out of permanent environmental and economic crises and promises to reconcile – a long cherished Utopia – ecology and economics. It fosters the hope that we can hang on to our current high standard of material prosperity.

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A Space for new Ideas, Discussions and Exchange

The hbs Palestine/ Jordan office in Ramallah opens the doors to its new rooftop conference room. We invite activist groups and NGOs, who share the values of the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation, to use the meeting room free of charge. It provides space for around 35 people and includes the possibility to project presentations or films. It has a wonderful, wide view from Ramallah to Jerusalem.

To schedule meetings or acquire further information, please send an e-mail to info@ps.boell.org or call + 972 2 296 1121
The room is available during our office hours from Saturday to Thursday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
In exceptional cases and with prior agreement meetings are possible outside of the office hours.

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The hbs office in Ramallah opened in 1999. It currently operates as a regional office with responsibility for Palestine and Jordan. The activities of hbs are guided by the fundamental political values of universal human rights, ecology, democracy, solidarity, and non-violence. The hbs office Ramallah is working in close partnership with currently more than 20 local partner organizations in Gaza, East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Jordan.

Perspectives

The Middle Eastern and Northern African (MENA) region, faced with tumultuous changes in the last five years, shows a picture of shrinking spaces for civil society activism. In contrast, ecological activism is growing and connecting the fight for climate justice to other demands for community and indigenous rights, gender equality, democracy and transparency.

More than twenty years after the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA), opinion polls persistently reveal a general belief in the presence and practice of corruption in the PA institutions, despite reports about improvement in good governance and transparency in recent years. According to a freshly released report by the Palestinian Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN) -Transparency International chapter in Palestine- 85% of the Palestinian public believe in the existence of corruption in PA institutions.